


Crossed Paths

by abani



Category: Actor RPF, Tenet (2020)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:00:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28723239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abani/pseuds/abani
Summary: This is a fan-written character fantasy as well as a real person fiction, and a sequel to “Night out in Tallinn” (https://archiveofourown.org/works/26612911).Written in the form of a short script. Hope you enjoy!本篇是"Night out in Tallinn"的續集 (沒看過的這邊請 https://archiveofourown.org/works/26612911) ，同時是角色創作文也是真人幻想文。一樣用劇本方式呈現，希望大家讀得愉快！
Relationships: Neil & The Protagonist (Tenet), Neil/The Protagonist (Tenet), Robert Pattinson/John David Washington
Kudos: 4





	Crossed Paths

The year is 2022, and the scene is an exclusive screening event for the new movie, _The Batman_ , directed by Matt Reeves. Actor John David Washington ( **JDW** ) is invited by the production team as a surprise guest for _Batman_ star Robert Pattinson ( **RP** ).

The screening goes well and uneventful. **RP** and **JDW** pose together for some photos and have a good chat during the party. After a few drinks, **JDW** tells **RP** that he needs to exit the building for some fresh air, and walks out the back door of the event hall.

**JDW** feels a little dizzy and tries taking a little walk down a dark paved road, which leads to a deck looking out to the coastline. He feels the wind on his face and suddenly spots a blonde figure by the railings, facing the sea.

**JDW** squints and walks closer. The blonde man looks strangely familiar under the streetlamp. **JDW** recognizes who it is and calls out.

**JDW**

Hey.

_ The man doesn’t respond. _

**JDW**

_(walks a few steps closer)_ Hey. I thought you were inside.

_ The blonde man, as if suddenly realizing it is too weird to pretend not to hear, given there was no one else around, slowly turns around. _

**JDW** _ finds  _ **RP** _ 's face looking back at him. _

**JDW**

_(confused smiling)_ Why… What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were inside.

**Blonde Man**

_(trying to find words carefully)_ I… er.... _(smiles awkwardly)_ Hi.

_ Both pause for a few seconds. Awkward silence. _

**JDW**

Wait. Hold on.

**JDW** _walks toward the blonde man’s right side and behind him. He takes a quick glance at the back of the man’s head, and then turns sharply to look at the theater house._

**JDW**

Wait. _(takes one more look at the man’s nape and turns to face him)_ You’re not Rob.

**Blonde Man**

_(hesitates for a second, then shakes head lightly)_ No, I’m not.

**JDW**

_(incredulously)_ You’re him. 

**Blonde Man**

_(nods)_ Yes.

**JDW**

_(gapes and then frowns and smiles in disbelief)_ You’re him. Oh, my God.

_ The Blonde Man smiles. Brief silence. _

**JDW**

So… Do I call you Neil?

**NEIL (Blonde Man)**

That is a good idea.

**JDW**

So wha- Why… What are you doing here?

**NEIL**

_(breaths out slowly and then starts)_ Well… it might sound unrealistic and even stupid in a way… but we are supposed to meet here. Later, when the event is over.

**JDW**

We?... _(confused)_ Oh, do you mean... _he_ ’s gonna be here, too?

**NEIL**

Yes. We, um, mostly meet where you two appear together. That way even if we are spotted by anyone it wouldn’t… look too strange or anything. _(chuckles lightly)_ It sounds bold, doesn’t it?

**JDW**

_(still smiling a little incredulously)_ Well, it’s definitely bold. But not stupid. I think it’s genius, actually. I mean, _wow_.

**NEIL**

_(smiles too)_ so you guys kept in touch after the film?

**JDW**

Yeah! I mean, we don’t meet a lot. But... yeah, we kept in touch. Stayed friends. I was actually wondering the same about you. You and… him. Do you keep in touch? I mean, obviously you just told me you do meet once in a while, but… Wait. _(now more confused and stuttering a little)_ I don’t… Okay, I don’t even know how much of the movie story was actually true. Do you… Are you.... _(lost for words)_

**NEIL**

Well, I can only tell you this: it’s probably more accurate than you can imagine. Although I don’t know the details, either. You see, I’m only halfway on my journey to that destination. So I'm pretty curious about how the plot really goes, too. _(smiles)_

**JDW**

_(blinking, takes several seconds to absorb the information)_ So… you’re going... you're living your life in reverse?

**NEIL**

_(shrugs)_ Basically, yes.

**JDW**

Wow. Just… Wow. _(pauses)_ Hey, I’m not supposed to tell anyone about you, right?

**NEIL**

_(nods)_ It’s safest if we keep it to ourselves.

**JDW**

Yeah… So… is _he_ gonna be here?

**NEIL**

Yes he is. Well, I'm hoping he comes, anyway.

**JDW**

I’d really like to meet him.

**NEIL**

_(nods approvingly)_ I can imagine.

**JDW** ’ _s phone rings and he answers._ **NEIL** _hears_ **RP** ’ _s excited voice mixed with chatter and laughter in the background._ **JDW** _says "yes" and "okay" several times and hangs up._

**JDW**

Hey, I’ve gotta get back there. It was really nice talking to you. And really… really weird _(small laugh)_. But can I ask you one more thing?

**NEIL**

M-hmm?

**JDW**

Well, Rob told me, during shooting, something about his 33rd birthday party, when I was there and he got really drunk and kind of made an idiot of himself… I was there, at the party, but honestly I don’t remember what he said to me at all? I only remember talking to Chris Nolan and Aaron the whole time... I’d assumed that I was too drunk to remember anything, but thinking back now… _(realizing something and shakes head)_ Oh, shit. I’m sorry. It’s all in the future for you. So you can’t possibly have anything to do with-

**NEIL**

_(interrupts)_ Robert’s thirty-third birthday, you say?

**JDW**

… Yeah?

**NEIL**

That would be… Year 2019?

**JDW**

_(thinking)_ Right.

**NEIL**

_(also thinking)_ I… I see.

**JDW**

_(echoes)_ you see?

**NEIL**

( _looks back at_ **JDW** ) You know what? I think you might be right.

**JDW**

Right about what?

**NEIL**

About what didn’t happen according to your memory. _(smiles)_ You were probably not that drunk after all. 

**JDW**

You’re saying it’s possible? That it wasn’t me Rob was talking to? That it was… _him_? _He_ was there? (pauses) You were there?

**NEIL**

_(chuckles)_ Well, it hasn’t happened yet, for me. But… I think so. _(nods)_ I think he was there. We were both there. 

Cut to **RP** ’s 33rd birthday party with loud music and a house full of people. **RP** stands just outside the door, face flushed, very excited, clearly drunk, talking vigorously with wide facial expressions and hand gestures, to the man he thinks is **JDW**. 

**PROTAGONIST (O.S.)**

_(disbelievingly)_ Wait. You’re telling me that you sent me the wrong meeting time back then, so I would bump into _Robert Pattinson_? 

Scene cuts back to the deck, later that night, when the event is over, the theater is dark, and **THE PROTAGONIST** has appeared.

**PROTAGONIST**

_(trying to look stern)_ We really should be more careful. 

**NEIL**

_(playfully)_ Relax. Nothing happened. I knew that from the future, remember? I just thought it would be fun… exciting, for once.

**PROTAGONIST**

_(sighs and smiles)_ You really have a thing for chaotic situations, don’t you?

**NEIL**

You don’t know how boring it is to live isolated in reverse.

_ Both smile. _

**Author's Note:**

> In short, The Protagonist and Neil were both real people that actually exist, and “Tenet” is based on their true story. This time, to make things even crazier, the actors meet the real-life characters. 
> 
> Note 1: Robert Pattinson said in an interview that he first met JDW on his 33rd birthday party, before starting the shooting process for “Tenet”. He remembers “screaming and shouting at them for an hour” and thought they were off to a bad start.
> 
> Read the interview here   
> https://www.robertpattinsonau.com/2020/06/07/new-hq-still-robert-pattinson-and-john-david-washington-tenet/
> 
> Note 2: JDW checks Robert's neck for a the mole behind his right ear, which Neil doesn't have.  
> **********  
> 還是一樣設定〈天能〉是真實事件，不過這次更瘋狂地想像了一下演員和真實人物碰面的話會發生什麼事。
> 
> 註1：派汀森在談中曾自述和JDW的初見面是在自己的33歲生日派對，當時他喝醉了，只記得大吼大叫，「覺得JD應該對自己印象很差」。這邊設定派汀森遇到的人其實是「主角」，而不是JDW，所以JDW並不記得派汀森的窘態。
> 
> 註2：JDW繞到Neil右後方是為了確認右耳後的痣。派汀森有，而Neil沒有。


End file.
